Fact Check: Israel bombed uus liberty

Fact Check: "Israel bombed USS Liberty"

What We Know

The claim that Israel bombed the USS Liberty is substantiated by historical events that occurred on June 8, 1967, during the Six-Day War. The USS Liberty, a United States Navy technical research ship, was attacked by Israeli Air Force jet fighters and Israeli Navy motor torpedo boats while it was in international waters off the Sinai Peninsula. The attack resulted in the deaths of 34 crew members and injuries to 171 others, severely damaging the ship (USS Liberty incident - Wikipedia).

Israel later stated that the attack was a mistake, claiming that the USS Liberty was misidentified as an Egyptian vessel. Both Israeli and U.S. government inquiries concluded that the attack was unintentional due to confusion regarding the ship's identity (USS Liberty incident - Wikipedia). However, some survivors and critics argue that the attack was deliberate, with accusations of a cover-up by U.S. officials (USS Liberty incident - Wikipedia).

Analysis

The evidence surrounding the USS Liberty incident is complex and has been the subject of extensive investigation and debate. The official reports from both the Israeli and U.S. governments indicate that the attack was a result of misidentification. For instance, the Israeli Air Force initially identified the ship as a hostile Egyptian vessel and did not confirm its true identity until after the attack had commenced (Historical Documents - Office of the Historian).

However, the reliability of these official accounts has been challenged. Critics, including some survivors of the attack, argue that the circumstances surrounding the incident suggest it was a deliberate act. Notably, Thomas Hinman Moorer, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, publicly accused the U.S. government of covering up the true nature of the attack (USS Liberty incident - Wikipedia).

The CIA's account of the incident also highlights the confusion and miscommunication that occurred during the attack, noting that the Liberty was indeed attacked by Israeli aircraft and torpedo boats, which further complicates the narrative of accidental engagement (THE ISRAELI ATTACK ON THE USS LIBERTY).

Despite the various interpretations of the events, the consensus among credible sources is that the USS Liberty was attacked by Israeli forces, thus supporting the claim that "Israel bombed USS Liberty."

Conclusion

Verdict: True
The claim that Israel bombed the USS Liberty is true, as it is supported by multiple credible sources detailing the attack carried out by Israeli forces on June 8, 1967. While there are conflicting narratives regarding the intent behind the attack, the fact remains that the USS Liberty was indeed bombed by Israel, resulting in significant loss of life and injury.